obeah — sorcery, witchcraft among blacks in Africa and the W.Indies, 1760, from a W. African word, e.g. Efik (southern Nigeria) ubio a thing or mixture left as a charm to cause sickness or death, Twi ebayifo witch, wizard, sorcerer … Etymology dictionary

obeah — ☆ obeah [ō′bē ə ] n. [of WAfr orig.] [often O ] a form of magic or witchcraft practiced by natives of Guiana, and formerly also in parts of the South and in the West Indies … English World dictionary

Obeah — This article is about West Indian religion and magic. For obeah within the context of Thelema, see Obeah and Wanga. For the West African monster, see Obia (folklore). Obeah (sometimes spelled Obi, Obea or Obia) is a term used in the West Indies… … Wikipedia

Obeah — A Caribbean term with at least two distinct uses: It can label an accusation of malevolent sorcery, but it can also refer to practices that have evolved from the interaction of indigenous , African , European , and Asian derived religious… … Historical dictionary of shamanism

obeah — Obi O bi, n. [Prob. of African origin.] 1. A species of sorcery, probably of African origin, practiced among the negroes of the West Indies. [Written also {obe} and {obeah}.] De Quincey. B. Edwards. [1913 Webster] 2. A charm or fetich. [West… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

obeah — I Jamaican Slang Glossary The withcraft or spiritual science native of Africa. It is the type of voodoo in Jamaica. She a put Obeah pon ya. (She cast a spell on you.) II Rasta Dictionary traditional African science , relating to matters of the… … English dialects glossary

obeah — o•be•ah [[t]ˈoʊ bi ə[/t]] also obi II n. 1) cvb ant a form of belief involving sorcery, practiced in parts of the West Indies, South America, the southern U.S., and Africa 2) cvb ant a fetish or charm used in practicing obeah • Etymology:… … From formal English to slang